This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan application serial no. 90213937, filed Aug. 15, 2001.
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an automobile charger. More particularly, the present invention relates to a multiple function swivel-jointed voltage-stepping automobile (SVA) charger.
2. Description of Related Art
Aside from the mobile phone, many other types of consumer electronic products, such as the portable personal digital assistants (PDA), are becoming popular in this information era. One major issue for all these hand held or portable devices is their power source. Although manufacturers have invented many types of long-lasting batteries to extend the standby time of the mobile phone or the running time of a PDA, there is always a limit to the amount of stored energy inside one pack of batteries. Once all the power inside the battery is drained, the battery must be charged to replenish the lost power.
An automobile charger can be used for re-charging the batteries of a mobile phone and PDA while a person is driving an automobile. In general, most automobile chargers include a fixed frame and a power signaling cable. The power signaling cable has two ends. One end contains the power plug and the other end contains a signaling plug. The signaling plug is connected to a mobile phone or a PDA while the power plug is plugged into a cigarette lighter socket inside an automobile.
Since the majority of automobiles have only a single cigarette lighter outlet, the automobile charger can provide, power to only one type of electronic product such as a mobile phone or a PDA at any one time.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional automobile charger. As shown in FIG. 1, the automobile charger includes at least a fixed frame and a power signaling cable. The fixed frame further includes a support stand 114, a backing board 116 and a pair of clamps 118. The power signaling cable further includes a power plug 110 and a signaling plug 112. The backing board 116 is a roughly rectangular plate. The clamps 118 are attached to the side on the opposite edges of the backing board 116 respectively. The support stand 114 has a long rod with one end fastened to the backing board 116 and the other end fixed somewhere inside the automobile. A mobile phone or PDA is usually placed on the backing board 116 with the two clamps 118 acting as guides. To charge up the mobile phone or the PDA, the signaling plug 112 is plugged into the power port of the mobile phone or PDA and the power plug 110 is plugged into the cigarette lighter socket of the automobile.
However, this type of automobile charger is a little inconvenient because most automobiles have only one cigarette lighter. Despite the need to charge a number of portable electronic units, a conventional charger permits the charging of only one portable electronic unit at one time.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a multiple function swivel-jointed voltage-stepping automobile (SVA) charger having a transformer for providing a voltage to a power connection socket and a signal connection input/output port each having a plurality of connection terminals. Thus, various portable electronic products may be charged at the same time.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as,.embodied and broadly described herein, the invention provides a multiple function swivel-jointed voltage-stepping automobile (SVA) charger. The SVA charger comprises a flexible hose, a transformer, a power socket/signal input-output port, an engaging bracket, a support frame and a pair of charging stands. The flexible hose is a long piece of flexible tube that can be bent but remains firm when left on its own. The transformer has the capacity to transform an input voltage. One end of the transformer is a rectangular body connected to one end of the flexible hose. The other end of the transformer has a cylindrical body suitable for plugging into the cigarette lighter of an automobile. Through a bearing bending design at the rectangular end and the cylindrical end of the transformer, the two ends of the transformer are free to rotate or bend. The transformer further includes a switch for switching to a multiple of voltages. The power socket/signal input-output port has a semi-circular cylindrical shape with a plurality of connection terminals such as audio-visual connection terminals capable of linking with the signaling terminals of electronic products selectively. The engaging bracket joins up with the power socket/signal input-output port at one end and the flexible hose at the other end. The support frame connects with the two charging stands through a ball-in-socket joint adjacent to the power socket/signal input-output port. Each charging stand has a signal connecting port such as a universal serial bus (USB), an RS-232, a mobile phone signal connecting port and a ball-in-socket joint. A ball-in-socket joint is attached to the front and back surfaces of each charging stand respectively so that each ball-in-socket joint is free to rotate relative to the charging stand. Furthermore, one ball-in-socket joint is attached to a linkage sheath while the other ball-in-socket joint is attached to one end of a linking rod having no linkage sheath.
The swivel-jointed voltage-stepping automobile charger of this invention further includes a plurality of wires inside the flexible hose for connecting the transformer with the power socket/signal input-output port.
The swivel-jointed voltage-stepping automobile charger may further include a pair of clamping fixtures such as a pair of single-sided automatic ejection/latch-back clamps or a pair of double-sided automatic ejection/latch-back clamps each attached to one of the charging stands on the same plane as the signal connection port. Alternatively, each clamping fixture includes a pair of clamping boards, a screw rod and a cap nut. Each clamping board has a through hole. One end of the screw rod has a T-shaped profile. The other end of the screw rod passes the through holes of the two clamping boards and joins up with the cap nut. The inner surface of each clamping board has an anti-slip layer such as a layer of polyurethane foam.
The supporting frame of the swivel-jointed voltage-stepping automobile charger further includes a rod support base, a supporting rod, two linking rods and a linkage sheath. The rod support base has a rectangular body fastened to the engaging bracket and adjacent to the power connection socket. The supporting rod has a cylindrical shape with one end perpendicularly attached to the rod support base and the other end having a spherical shape. The linking rods have a fine circular shape. One end of each linking rod is attached to the spherical end of the supporting rod and the linking rod is free to rotate relative to the supporting rod. The linkage sheath, is a cylindrical tube with a fine internal bore that encloses the linking rod and permits the linking rod to slide inside the cylindrical tube in the rod""s axial direction. In addition, the supporting frame, the two linking rods and the linkage sheath may also be fabricated using flexible hose so that they can be bent into different configurations and yet remain firm in the last position after the bending force is removed.
The connecting terminals of the power socket/signal input-output port in the swivel-jointed voltage-stepping automobile charger support connections to a G-Mouse antenna through a signal connection port such as the USB or RS232 so that global positioning data can be signaled to a PDA.
This invention also provides a second swivel-jointed voltage-stepping automobile (SVA) charger. The SVA charger comprises a flexible hose, a transformer, two power slots, a power socket/signal input-output port, an engaging bracket, a support frame and a pair of charging stands. The flexible hose is a long piece of flexible tube that can be bent but remains firm when left on its own. The transformer has the capacity to transform an input voltage. One end of the transformer is a rectangular body connected to one end of the flexible hose. The other end of the transformer has a cylindrical body suitable for plugging into the cigarette lighter of an automobile. Through a bearing bending design at the rectangular end and the cylindrical end of the transformer, the two ends of the transformer are free to rotate or bend. The transformer further includes a switch for switching to a multiple of voltages. The two power slots have a rectangular body attached to the respective sides of the rectangular end of the transformer. Each power slot has a roughly circular internal groove. The power socket/signal input-output port has a columnar body with a plurality of connection terminals such as audio-visual connection terminals capable of linking with the signaling terminals of electronic products selectively. The engaging bracket joins up with the power socket/signal input-output port at one end and the flexible hose at the other end. The support frame connects with the two charging stands through a ball-in-socket joint adjacent to the power socket/signal input-output port. Each charging stand has a ball-in-socket joint attached to one side and each ball-in-socket joint is free to rotate relative to the charging stand. Furthermore, one ball-in-socket joint is attached to a linkage sheath while the other ball-in-socket joint is attached to one end of a linking rod having no linkage sheath.
The swivel-jointed voltage-stepping automobile charger of this invention may further include a plurality of wires running inside the flexible hose for connecting the transformer with the power socket/signal input-output port.
The swivel-jointed voltage-stepping automobile charger of this invention may further include a plurality of wires for connecting the transformer with the two power slots.
The swivel-jointed voltage-stepping automobile charger of this invention may further include a plurality of wire hooks for fastening to the flexible hose.
The swivel-jointed voltage-stepping automobile charger may further include a pair of clamping fixtures such as a pair of single-sided automatic ejection/latch-back clamps or a pair of double-sided automatic ejection/latch-back clamps each attached to one of the charging stands on the opposite side of the ball-in-socket joint. Alternatively, each clamping fixture includes a pair of clamping boards, a screw rod and a cap nut. Each clamping board has a through hole. One end of the screw rod has a T-shaped profile. The other end of the screw rod passes the through holes of the two clamping boards and joins up with the cap nut. The inner surface of each clamping board has an anti-slip layer such as a layer of polyurethane foam.
Furthermore, the external layer of the flexible hose of the swivel-jointed voltage-stepping automobile charger may be split open to hide additional wires and the color of the flexible hose may be changed by replacing the external layer.
The supporting frame of the swivel-jointed voltage-stepping automobile charger further includes a rod support base, a supporting rod, two linking rods and a linkage sheath. The rod, support base has a rectangular body fastened to the engaging bracket and adjacent to the power connection socket. The supporting rod has a cylindrical shape with one end perpendicularly attached to the rod support base and the other end having a spherical shape. The linking rods have a fine circular shape. One end of each linking rod is attached to the spherical end of the supporting rod and the linking rod is free to rotate relative to the supporting rod. The linkage sheath is a cylindrical tube with a fine internal bore that encloses the linking rod and permits the linking rod to slide inside the cylindrical tube in the rod""s axial direction. In addition, the supporting frame, the two linking rods and the linkage sheath may also be fabricated using flexible hose so that they can be bent into different configurations and yet remain firm in the last position after the bending force is removed.
The connecting terminals of the power socket/signal input-output port in the swivel-jointed voltage-stepping automobile charger support connections to a G-Mouse antenna.
This invention also provides a third swivel-jointed voltage-stepping automobile (SVA) charger. The SVA charger comprises a flexible hose, a transformer, a power socket/signal input-output port, an engaging bracket and at least one charging stand. The flexible hose is a long piece of flexible tube that can be bent but remains firm when left on its own. The transformer has the capacity to transform an input voltage. One end of the transformer is a rectangular body connected to one end of the flexible hose. The other end of the transformer has a cylindrical body suitable for plugging into the cigarette lighter of an automobile. Through a bearing bending design at the rectangular end and the cylindrical end of the transformer, the two ends of the transformer are free to rotate or bend. The transformer further includes a switch for switching to a multiple of voltages. The power socket/signal input-output port has a columnar body with a plurality of connection terminals such as audio-visual connection terminals capable of linking with the signaling terminals of electronic products selectively. The engaging bracket joins up with the power socket/signal input-output port at one end and the flexible hose at the other end. The charging stand has a signal port. One side of this charging stand is fastened to the power socket/signal input/output port.
The swivel-jointed voltage-stepping automobile charger further includes two power slots. The two power slots have a rectangular body attached to the respective sides of the rectangular end of the transformer. Each power slot has a roughly circular internal groove.
The swivel-jointed voltage-stepping automobile charger of this invention may further include a plurality of wires running inside the flexible hose for connecting the transformer with the power socket/signal input-output port.
The swivel-jointed voltage-stepping automobile charger of this invention may further include a plurality of wires for connecting the transformer with the two power slots.
The swivel-jointed voltage-stepping automobile charger may further include a clamping fixture such as a single-sided automatic ejection/latch-back clamp or a double-sided automatic ejection/latch-back clamp attached to the charging stand on the same plane as the signaling port. Alternatively, each clamping fixture includes a pair of clamping boards, a screw rod and a cap nut. Each clamping board has a through hole. One end of the screw rod has a T-shaped profile. The other end of the screw rod passes the through holes of the two clamping boards and joins up with the cap nut. The inner surface of each clamping board has an anti-slip layer such as a layer of polyurethane foam.
The swivel-jointed voltage-stepping automobile charger may further include a supporting frame. The supporting frame includes a rod support base, a supporting rod, two linking rods and a linkage sheath. The rod support base has a rectangular body fastened to the engaging bracket and adjacent to the power connection socket. The supporting rod has a cylindrical shape with one end perpendicularly attached to the rod support base and the other end having a spherical shape. The linking rods have a fine circular shape. One end of each linking rod is attached to the spherical end of the supporting rod and the linking rod is free to rotate relative to the supporting rod. The linkage sheath is a cylindrical tube with a fine internal bore that encloses the Inking rod and permits the linking rod to slide inside the cylindrical tube in the rod""s axial direction. In addition, the supporting frame, the two linking rods and the linkage sheath may also be fabricated using flexible hose so that they can be bent into different configurations and yet remain firm in the last position after the bending force is removed.
The connecting terminals of the power socket/signal input-output port in the swivel-jointed voltage-stepping automobile charger support connections to a G-Mouse antenna through a signaling port such as USB or RS232 so that satellite positioning signals can be transmitted to the PDA.
This invention provides a transformer that connects with a power socket/signal input-output port having a plurality of connection terminals and two charging stands both having signaling ports. Hence, the problem of having to charge one type of electronic product at a time using a conventional automobile charger is resolved.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.